Reconfiguration
by wonderwall91
Summary: Rachel Berry was tired. She was tired of New York City and the fiancé that she was tied down to. She surprises everyone, including herself, by up and leaving. While gone, she learns a few things about herself...and the weird blonde that she continually runs into.
1. Chapter 1

Hi. I've never written a Faberry story before, but I'm definitely excited! I hope that some of you guys will like it as well. I'm pretty sure where I want to go with this story. Hopefully some of you guys will stick around for the ride.

No Faberry in this chapter, but I promise that they'll be interacting soon! Leave a review and let me know what you think! :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. I don't own the characters. I wish that some of you talented writers did though because you all write stories a heck of a lot better than what RIB does.**

All mistakes are mine.

* * *

"Please, Rachel, don't do this," Finn pleaded. "We can't throw away eight years. We were happy once," he added before throwing himself to the floor and wrapping his arms around her knees. He knew he was being childish. He knew he was being a pansy, but he didn't care. He couldn't lose her. They had invested so much into each other. They had made it out of Lima, Ohio. They had been together through miscarriages and family deaths. They were Finn and Rachel. That was supposed to be enough.

"I'm not happy, Finn. You aren't happy. We deserve better than this," she whispered while running her hands through his hair. "We aren't the same people that fell in love in a small-town glee club." She untangled herself from his limbs and waltzed over the couch. Finn followed suit and sat across from her in the loveseat.

"We're going to work this out. We're meant to be together," he begged, ignoring the sting of tears. He felt sick to his stomach. What would he do without Rachel? Could he even live without her? "I can get help. I'll start going to AA meetings. That'll help, right?"

"Finn, it isn't just about that..I just…I need some time to myself. You need time to yourself. We need to figure out who we are…without each other."

* * *

"Lucy! Wake up, dear!" Quinn groaned and rolled over in the bed to acknowledge the unwanted attention. "You have to be at work in an hour. I'm not your fucking mother. Keep up with your life." With that she felt a stuffed animal whir past her and hit the wall.

"I'm up, I'm up," she grumbled before sitting up. She looked at the clock adorned on her wall and sighed. It was 1:00. Gone were the days that Quinn Fabray actually cared about anything. She spent all of her time either sleeping or working. Every now and then she would pull out her notebook and jot down journal entries, but she didn't really feel inspired anymore.

Quinn had left her life in New Haven behind. She had dropped out of school and moved as far away from there as she could. Something about Mississippi had called out to her. Perhaps it was the fact that they ranked last in everything. She kind of felt a connection with that. She had never been good enough for anything. She was at a point on her life where she didn't care anymore. She was Lucy Quinn Fabray. She could never finish anything that she started. She could never stay committed in a relationship. She had boxes full of books that she had started to write, manuscripts that she had started, even some pretty nice poems that had flown from her pen to the paper. Like always, she just couldn't stick with it.

She jumped in the shower and quickly got ready, opting to skip lunch at the apartment for a bacon cheeseburger from the local burger joint. Gone where the days where she enjoyed being a health nut. She had a love for bacon that could never be denied.

As she sat in the parking lot of the PetSmart she worked at, she thought about her life. How had she fallen so far that she was working as a groomer assistant at an animal store? It just didn't make sense to her how far she had fallen. Sure, every other day she worked at a photography studio taking pictures for the local high school seniors. If she were having a particularly good day she might have been asked to take photos of an engagement or wedding.

"What am I doing?" She questioned before looking at herself in the rearview mirror. "Absolutely nothing," she answered before wiping the corners of her mouth and throwing the biscuit wrapper into the back seat.

"Quinn," Ashley, the head groomer, greeted as Quinn waltzed into the designated area out of the store dedicated to cleaning the poop off of dog's asses and giving haircuts to cats that didn't want to be touched. "Look alive, chump," she giggled before throwing an apron to the younger girl.

"This is me looking alive, Ashley," Quinn retorted while catching the apron. "What do you need me to do?"

"Patricia Stone dropped off Mickey. He's in the back right now. Start the bath for him to soak in. There's a Pekingese back there that is getting the full-package..facial included. Do you feel like you can handle that?"

"I was born ready," Quinn deadpanned. Life. Sucked.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Kurt's voice had reached a note so high that she was certain only dogs could hear him.

"I'm just leaving. I can't be in New York City anymore. Not while Finn is here."

"Honey, I think New York is big enough for the both of you," Kurt interjected. Rachel sighed. Kurt couldn't fully understand why Rachel was leaving when Finn was his stepbrother.

"It's not, Kurt," Rachel screamed. She slammed her cup of coffee down onto the table and ignored the looks from the other customers. "New York is not big enough for the both of us. I don't think that we could be on opposite coasts and there still be enough distance. Finn and I are not working on our relationship anymore. He's working on himself…and I'm going to take the time to fix my own problems."

"I just don't think the Rachel I know would be leaving her fiancé because they were having a few issues…"

"Kurt, I'm going to say this once, because I don't like to talk badly to my friends, but shut up. You truly have no idea what I'm going through. Besides, if you want to play that game then we'll play. Shouldn't you be at home working on things with Blaine?"

"My marriage is fine," Kurt huffed before running his hand through his unkempt locks. He ignored the pointed look Rachel was giving him and instead chose to change the subject. "Where are you going?"

"I'm not telling anyone. It's off the map and completely away from anybody that I know. Paparazzi won't be there. My friends wont be there. Finn won't be around. I can just be myself without having to deal with any of this stress."

"I just don't think you're going to find your happiness on an isolated Rachel island," Kurt admitted. Rachel shrugged her shoulders and took a small sip of her drink. "Are you ignoring me now?" Rachel shook her head. "When are you leaving?"

"Oh, I don't know," she drawled, ignoring the look on his face. "Sometime soon though…sometime soon."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited. I really appreciate it. Here's a new chapter. It's not interesting, but it gets the story going. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Quinn gently looked through the cameras on the shelf and reached for her Nikon. It had always been her favorite camera, after all. She looked at her watch and then sighed. Her appointment was late.

"Her mother called and said that Lauren was very shy, Quinn. That's why I'm trusting you to do a good job with her," her boss said while looking through various images on the shop's laptop. "She also said that she was self-conscious. I know you like to be sarcastic and aloof, but you forget that I know you well. You're the best person for this appointment."

"I understand," Quinn replied. Truly, she did. She had grown up feeling as though she weren't good enough. She could never compete with Frannie. She was always two-steps behind. "When I was younger…" She paused, unsure of why she almost found herself sharing memories of her past. "Never mind," Quinn added upon realizing that the shop owner had paused what she had been doing to listen to Quinn.

"You're a great girl, honey," the Southern woman stated upon realizing that Quinn was, once again, shutting herself out. "I just don't get you girls from up north." At this Quinn laughed openly. As soon as Quinn opened her mouth to answer the front door opened. A somewhat heavyset girl walked in behind an older woman, definitely the girl's mother. "Hi," Lindsey, her boss, spoke from behind the desk. "How can I help you?" The southerner drawled.

"I'm Maggie, and this is my daughter Lauren." Quinn looked behind the mother and smiled at the girl. She had brown hair and glasses. She reminded Quinn of her younger self.

"Hi, Lauren," Quinn greeted the young girl while walking over to the two women. "I'm Quinn. I'll be taking your pictures today."

"Whatever," Lauren replied, earning a nudge from her mother. "I don't even want to do this. My mom is making me." Quinn chuckled. Parents always had a knack at pissing off their teenage clients.

"You'll be happy that she made you do this in a few years," Quinn admitted, earning herself a grin from the mother. "Come on, we'll go take a few shots in the green room before we go out around town for the scenic shots. Anyplace in particular you want to go…or do you just want the studio's usual?"

"I…I have somewhere in particular," Lauren admitted with a grin. Quinn smiled. She could handle this girl.

* * *

"Santana, I'm fine," Rachel grunted into her iPhone. "No, don't you dare put Brittany on the phone. You know that I can't say no to her!"

"That's the point, Berry," Santana snarled. "We don't have a clue where you are. I don't care. I'm glad that you and your Chihuahua-like personality are gone. It gives me clarity. But Lady Hummel and Britts keep asking me where you are…If Britts wants to know something then I'm going to find the answer."

"You're such a good girlfriend, Santana. Who would have thought you had a heart?" Rachel questioned with a chuckle. "I'll call you all later with details. Right now I'm just trying to figure out things."

"Just be careful, Rachel. Your shire will be here when you get back," Santana whispered before hanging up. Rachel grinned. Santana had an odd way of showing that she cared about people, but Rachel knew the Latina considered her a friend and therefore only wanted what was best for her.

Her phone immediately began to ring again. Assuming it was Santana she answered with an annoyed "what?"

"Uh, hey, Rach…I'm just…I want you to come home." Rachel groaned. Finn of all people? The universe did not like her at the moment.

"Finn, I haven't even been gone a day. What do you think that accomplishes?" She heard him yelling at someone in the background before returning to the phone call.

"I realized that I love you more than anything," he proclaimed.

"Finn, I need time. You need to worry about getting your life together, okay? I love you, but…I fell out of love with you a long time ago. You're not the man I agreed to marry." With that she hung up and turned her phone off.

Her first thought upon stepping out of the airport was that she had definitely down-sized from New York. She had down-sized from Lima. It was a quaint little college town was all that Sam's family had told her when she reached out to him for advice on where to go. There were no taxis, no cabs. She looked at the shuttle bus and sighed…

Maybe she couldn't survive outside of New York.

* * *

"So, why don't you want to have your pictures made?" Quinn questioned while walking through the brush.

"I don't really have friends," Lauren admitted. "I wouldn't have anyone to give them to. My mom just doesn't understand." Quinn hummed in understanding. "I know you don't know what I'm talking about."

"Actually, I do," Quinn admitted. "Before high school I was this chubby little girl with no friends. My family…well, my dad really… was unhappy that I wasn't blonde and skinyy like my older sister. I decided to get into shape. I dyed my hair. I started going by my middle name."

"And then you were popular," Lauren finished.

"It wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. High school isn't the best four years of your life, Lauren. You may not have friends there, but I guarantee that you'll be just fine once you make it to college. You find yourself there…you find your real friends."

"Thank you," Lauren whispered before wiping a tear away from her eye. "We're here," she added upon reaching a small park. "This is where I always come to think after school…when I need a break from my mom."

"It's beautiful," Quinn admitted-having never been to the park before.

"I think so too," Lauren admitted before looking away. "What the heck is that?" Lauren questioned. Quinn looked up to spot what Lauren was referring to. She giggled upon realizing there was a young woman stuck in the bank of a lake.

"Ma'am," Quinn called out to the figure before her. "Can I help you?"

"No, no, I'm perfectly capable of getting out of this mess. I simply seem to have…gotten my heel stuck in the mud." Quinn shook her head. It was obvious that this woman was not from around there.

"I got you," Quinn muttered before trudging through the mud to help the young woman. "I'm Quinn," the blonde spoke while gently tugging on the woman's heel. Once the shoe finally pulled away from the murky ground the brunette groaned. "You shouldn't go to a park with high heels on," Quinn added dryly.

"I'm just…new here. I wouldn't normally attend a park without the proper attire."

"Uh-huh," Quinn whispered, lost in the brunette's eyes. She had never seen someone as pretty as the girl before her. Her eyes were the most expressive brown eyes that she'd ever seen.

"I'm Rachel," the brunette finally offered. "I'm here…for business…and I guess I don't know where I am at the moment." Quinn snapped out of her beauty-induced coma and stood up.

"I'm Quinn. I'm on the clock right now." She pointed at Lauren for emphasis. "But if you wait around I can drop you off wherever you need to be."

* * *

Rachel was unsure of what to do. In New York you learn to not bother strangers. She had made the mistake once of asking a homeless man if he wanted to hear her sing…That had ended in her being treated with a tetanus shot after the man bit her.

"I don't want to be a bother," Rachel finally replied, eyeing the blonde girl cautiously. She seemed friendly enough. She obviously had a job, which was a good sign that she wasn't mentally unstable.

"It's no problem, Rachel," Quinn responded. If Rachel were being honest with herself, the blonde was beautiful. She had an old Hollywood look that Rachel simply adored. You always had to be careful with the pretty ones, though. High school had taught her that the pretty girls were also usually crazy.

She watched in awe as Quinn began to do her job. She was a natural with the young lady she was taking pictures of. Her motions were fluid and consistent, like a dance she had practiced day in and day out.

"Alright, we're done," Quinn shouted to the brunette who had been seated on a picnic table a few feet away. "Lauren did a good job," Quinn added. She sounded almost proud of her customer. "These are going to be beautiful pictures," she told the younger girl that followed behind her. Rachel didn't respond, unsure of what she could say. She didn't know Quinn. She didn't know where she was. She was vulnerable, and Rachel Berry didn't do vulnerable.

"I'm somewhat hungry," Rachel finally interjected, while following the two girls that had taken off to the blonde's car. "Do you have any recommendations?"

"Well, there are plenty of places. What are you interested in?" Quinn questioned.

"I don't want to spend more than 100 dollars on my meal," Rachel answered. Quinn began to cough wildly before climbing into her Jeep. Rachel followed suit, unsure of what Quinn's problem was.

"Lady, I don't know where you're from, but we don't spend that kind of money where I'm from or down here," Quinn retorted dryly. Lauren, who Rachel learned was the girl's name, laughed at the two of them.

"I'm fresh out of New York," Rachel replied, pride filling her words. "You aren't from here? I knew you were missing the accent."

"I'm from Lima, Ohio," was all that Quinn offered. "But I like it here. People say that Mississippi sucks… and it can. But it has its perks. How'd you end up here from New York?"

"I have a friend," Rachel responded. "He's from Tennessee. He recommended several places to me. This one just seemed ideal. He mentioned that it was a college town so there would be plenty of things to do all while maintaining the simple lifestyle. Those were his exact words."

"I see," Quinn mumbled before putting the truck into reverse and backing out of the parking lot.

* * *

**So Faberry meets. Next chapter will have them interacting more. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter. It's slow-moving, but I promise it's going to get there.**


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